Page 155 of The Sun and the Star

‘No more,’ he said, and he gritted his teeth. ‘No. More.’

But Nyx ignored him. ‘I reached out to you through your dreams,’ she said, speaking directly to Nico. ‘Do you remember what I told you? What I asked of you?’

‘To listen,’ Nico said. ‘We figured that out long ago, Nyx. We know you were goading me down here.’

She shook her head. ‘That wasn’t all I said.’

Then she looked at Will.

He braced himself next to Nico. ‘What is she talking about?’

Nico had forgotten. He’d never toldanyoneabout that part. It seemed like such an inconsequential detail.

He repeated the words from the dream he’d had the night before leaving on this quest, the same words that had come from the mouth of Cupid in the image of Will.

‘“When the time comes, tell me the truth.”’

‘Well, Nico?’ said Nyx, smiling. ‘When are you going to tell him the truth? When are you going to tell him that you doubt it all?’

Terror spiked Nico’s heart. ‘What?!’

‘Nico, what does she mean?’ asked Will in alarm.

‘I don’t know!’ he said.

‘Yes, youdo,’ said Nyx, her voice slimy. ‘You know what you feel in your heart. You know you don’t belong in the world above. Youneverwill.’

‘She is trying to confuse you as she tried with me,’ said Bob, still standing his ground in front of Nico. ‘She tried to torture me into making another decision. But, Nico, she couldn’t break me. Do you know why?’

‘Why?’ said Nico, his pulse racing.

‘Because I called out to someone I knew would listen,’ he said,and he reached down to pet the top of Small Bob’s head. ‘I told Small Bob that one day a boy would come down here looking for me, and that he was to guide you to me. Iknewyou would hear me.’

Small Bob meowed, then leaped up and climbed the sleeve of Bob’s uniform to sit on his shoulder.

‘As long as I live,’ said Bob, ‘I will fight for you, Nico di Angelo. Nyx can never have you.’

Nyx yawned, then glanced back at her three children. ‘It’s so touching, isn’t it?’ she said. ‘They think they can change what I’ve set in motion.’

‘It seems futile,’ said Hypnos. ‘Shall I put them all to sleep?’

Nyx shook her head. ‘No. They need to be awake for the last piece.’

‘I can give them a good nightmare,’ said Epiales.

Nyx groaned. ‘I saidno, Epiales.’

The demon grimaced and slunk back again, this time hiding behind Nemesis.

Nico examined her face, but there was no expression on it. Nemesis had helped him before. Why wasn’t she doing anything now?

‘Just give up, Nyx,’ said Will. ‘You and your children will never be able to stop us!’

‘Maybe not,’ said the Queen of Darkness, and her gown swirled about her as she floated backwards. Her chariot returned, and two reins appeared and looped around the necks of Shade and Shadow. ‘But I think Nico’s will.’

Nico’s world spun. ‘What did you just say?’

‘I am the mother,’ said Nyx. ‘Haven’t you heard? I can create demons of anything I want.’

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